Raceway, Coca-Cola, Harvest Hope and Daniel Suarez prepare Food Boxes
Raceway officials, Coca-Cola representatives, driver Daniel Suarez and others display a few of the many food boxes they prepared. PHOTO BY STEPHAN DREW
Darlington Raceway welcomed volunteers, partners and a NASCAR star on Tuesday, May 5, for a meaningful day of service, as Coca-Cola Consolidated teamed up with Harvest Hope Food Bank to support communities across South Carolina.
As part of a broader initiative to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary by honoring the shared American experience, Coca-Cola Consolidated is organizing community-driven events across the country in partnership with local food banks. The Darlington Raceway event brought that mission to life, rallying volunteers to help address food insecurity throughout the state.
Joining the effort was NASCAR Cup Series standout and Coca-Cola Racing Family driver Daniel Suárez, who worked alongside volunteers from Coca-Cola Consolidated, Harvest Hope Food Bank and Darlington Raceway to pack food boxes destined for families in need.
In total, volunteers packed 1,020 boxes containing essential pantry items, including black beans, spaghetti, green beans, oatmeal, peanut butter, tomato sauce and tuna. These efforts resulted in approximately 8,500 meals, contributing to Harvest Hope’s annual distribution of 25 million meals and Coca-Cola Consolidated’s America250 initiative to pack 250,000 meals in 2026.
“Darlington Raceway has always been proud to serve as more than just a world-class racing venue — we’re a gathering place for community impact,” said Darlington Raceway President Josh Harris. “Partnering with Coca-Cola Consolidated, and Harvest Hope Food Bank to support families across South Carolina is an honor. Today showed the power of coming together to make a real difference in people’s lives.”
Finished boxes will be returned to Harvest Hope for distribution across its network of agency partners serving 20 counties throughout the Upstate, Midlands and Pee Dee regions, including locations in Florence, Columbia and Greenville.
“For me, being part of NASCAR is about more than what happens on the track,” Suárez said. “Giving back to the community and helping families who need it most is incredibly important. It was inspiring to see so many people come together today to support South Carolina families.”
Additional notable volunteers included Valerie Williams, Community Relations Manager at Coca-Cola Consolidated, Sy Hughes, Harvest Hope Interim CEO, and Savannah Lominac, Fulfillment Manager at Harvest Hope Food Bank. All of the volunteers played key roles and contributed to the ongoing commitment of Darlington Raceway and its partners to strengthen communities and celebrate the spirit of service that unites Americans.
Darlington Raceway’s next event is the Speed & Feed BBQ Festival & Car Show on Saturday, May 16. The Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS)-sanctioned competition will pit BBQ teams from across the country. In addition, there will be vintage street cars and racing vehicles from Stock Car Classics on display, along with a host of food and retail vendors and a Kids Zone. The NASCAR Racing Experience will be on track for guest rides around the Track Too Tough To Tame.
Racing returns Labor Day Weekend with the first race of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Chase on Saturday, Sept. 5, followed by the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, Sept. 6. It will be the first race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase.
For the latest information on all Darlington Raceway events, visit www.darlingtonraceway.com.
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